Mail receiving and collecting apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. 0. TAYLOR. MAIL RECEIVING AND COLLECTING APPARATUS. No. 509,969. I Patented Dec 5, 1893.

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2 DD 0 L Y A T C MAIL RECEIVING AND COLLECTING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 5, 1893.

I l i l l l I I I II am OLE Jar. 77

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM O. TAYLOR, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAI L RECEIVING AN D COLLECTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,969, dated December 5, 1893.

Application filed August 19, 1891. Serial No. 408,101. (No model.)

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. TAYLOR, of Malden,county of Middlesex,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Mail Receiving and Collecting Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to construct a mail box adapted for both delivery and collection of mail matter, although it may be utilized for either service alone if desired.

My invention comprehends two boxes or compartments adapted to receive mail matter, each provided with a door or equivalent by which access maybe had thereto. One of the boxes is designed to receive packages and the like, and the other to receive letters and the like, although they may be used diiit'erently if desired, yet for sake of distinction one of the boxes will be herein termed the letter box, and the other the package box. The letter box comprises two compartments, as an upper andalower compartment, although the upper compartment when utilized only as a door may be made as such. The lower compartment has at its rear side an entrance slot or passage, and a suitable throat or passage-way leads to it, so that the mail matter may be introduced by pushingit up through the throat or passage-way to the entrance slot or passage. Suitable means are provided for normally closing the entrance slot or passage which may be lifted by the mail matter when introduced, and said means also subserve the purpose of assisting in forcing the mail matterinto the compartment, through the entrance slot or passage, and of holding the mail matter in position, and also of-indicating the fact that there is mail in the box. A'determining device is provided by means of which the owner may readily determine Whether or not there is any mail matter in the box, it acting upon or in co-operation with the indicator contained in the box, and said determining device may be adapted to be operated from a distant point. The upper compartment or door is pivoted to the lower or mail holding compartment, and is provided with a lock adapted to be operated by a key in the possession of the owner. The door of the package box is located at one side, and is also provided with a lock which may be operated by the carrier manually to lock the box, preferably without the use of a key, so that when the carrier deposits valuable packages he may look the box. Means are provided for releasing this look which is under the sole control of the owner, and which requires for its operation the use of a key, and herein I have so arranged the parts that said means are accessible from the interior of the letter-box, so that when the owner unlocks the letter-box to remove mail matter therefrom, he may very readily unlock the package box. The door of the package box is also provided with a latch, to be used when the box is empty, or when containinga valueless package.

When the boxes are designed for collection as well as delivery, I form an entrance slot in the package box, and for the purpose of concealing said slot as well as for other purposes to be described, 1 preferably form said slot between the package containing box or compartment, and the letter containing box or compartment, so that the owner may unlock the letter-box and deposit his mail matter for collection in the package box. An indicator is also preferably provided which gives notice to the collector that mail matter awaits collection. The parts are so arranged that the owner must unlock the letter-bombefore the indicator can be set, and furthermore that theindicator must be set before the mail matter can be deposited for collection. This collection indicator having once been set cannot be restored until the carrier applies a key to a lock on the package box door or opens the door; and furthermore after the indicator has been set the owner is prevented from having access to the package or collec' tion box until after the carrier arrives, and removes the matter deposited for collection. This result is accomplished by the employment of a suitable lock mechanism for the package box, provided with an actuator permanently connected with the box, which may be operated by the owner to lock the package box door, when he places mail matter in said box for collection; and said lock mechanism is preferably so constructed and arranged ICO that when operated by the owner, the door is so looked as to prevent him having access to the box, and said lock mechanism is accessible from the exterior of the box by means of a suitable key by which it may be operated to unlock the door, said key being carried by the collector. The actuator is, for the purpose of simplifying the construction, so shaped as to be utilized as the collection indicator.

Figure 1, shows a central vertical section of a combined letter and package box embodying this invention; Fig. 2,a rear side view of the box shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail to be referred to. Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged details of the locking device, to be described, and Figs. 6 and 7, details of the pawl on the collection indicator to be referred to.

The package box, as herein shown, consists of a shell comprising a front plate a, top at, bottom a and two connecting sides of, (1 being open at the rear simply to reduce the expense of manufacture. The side wall a of the package box is hinged to the front plate, and constitutes a door by means of which access may be had to the box.

The letter-box is arranged and supported on the front wall of the package box, and as herein shown consists of a lower compartment comprising a front plate 5, side walls I), 1), bottom b and a partition wall at the rear, as 12 and an upper compartment comprising a front wall 0, side walls 0', c, and a top wall 0 The upper compartment is in open communication with the lower compartment, and hence the two compartments in practice are truly one, butI shall herein refer to them as separate simply for distinction, as for instance it is obvious that the two shells might be made as one and provided with a door at the front or other desirable place.

When the apparatus is to be used only as a delivery box, the only reason for making the letter-box in two shells as shown is to reduce the expense of manufacture, but when used as a collection box, the employment of two shells as shown has other advantages which will be hereinafter pointed out.

The compartment 0 is provided with ears 0 or other suitable means, which are arranged in juxtaposition to ears 0 on the lower compartment, so that the upper compartment may be pivoted to the lower compartment, to be swung outwardly from the package box, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1. A rod dis secured to the package box, which has loosely arranged, on it a series of fingers d, which close the upper end of a throat or passageway d and normally rest upon the upper edge of the partition 17 The fingers d are independently movable, and project over the upper edge of the partition 19 some little distance and are arranged at a suitable angle with relation to the other parts, and also to the partition, to assist in moving letters or other mail matter across or over the partition when such is inserted upwardly through the move such packages.

throat, and thereby brought into position to be engaged and moved by the said fingers. The letters and other mail matter inserted upwardly through the throat (Z and over the partition b fall into the lower compartment and hence said compartment will serve as a mail holding compartment. An arm (1 is pivoted to the rod 07 at about midway its length, which arm crosses the entrance to the lower compartment and is suitably extended to completely cross the said compartment transversely, bearing against the front wall thereof, when in its normal position, said front wall serving as a stop for it.

On the inside of the front wall I) of the lower compartment, a series of ribs 12 is arranged, between two of which the outer end of the arm or indicator d normally lies, the ribs in this instance presenting between them a recess which receives the end of the indicator. hen a letter or other mail matter is inserted up through the throat or passageway, it strikes the arm 61 moving it to permit the said mail matter to be carried over the partition b and fall into the compartment, and at'such time the said mail matter will occupy a position between the end of the arm (1 and the front wall of the box, thereby holding the said arm in its elevated position. The ribs 12 by their inclination as shown,augment the movement of the arm 01 so that even though the mail matter inserted be very thin, the arm will be moved and held a suitable distance away from the front wall of the box, it being understood that at such time the mail matter covers the recess or that part of it normally occupied by the end of the arm. The arm will also serve as a means for keeping the mail matter in its upright position. Asthis arm d or some equivalent device constitutes the indicator, which is operated by the mail matter in some way, I desire it to be understood that any device capable of performing the function ascribed to this arm 61 I deem the equivalent which comes within the spirit and scope of my invention.

p The carrier may introduce the letters through the throat or passage-way (Z and when the owner desires to remove them, he turns the upper compartment on its pivot, thereby having access to the lower compartment. The upper compartment is provided with a lock 6 which will require a key, as 6, see dotted lines, Fig. 1, to release it, such key being retained by the owner. The side door 0,4 of the package box, is also provided with a suitable latch or look, or both, which is arranged to be operated by the carrier when introducing packages to the box, and which may be released by the owner in order to re- I have herein shown both a latch and a look. A block fis pivoted atf to an extension on the front plate, arranged parallel to the door, that portion of said block at one side of the pivot being made quite light, and at the opposite side quite heavy, to be normally over-balanced as if weighted; and a detentf having a bevel enboss or frame on the door, the detent passing through the door and adapted to engage with and be latched upon the pivoted block f. Another detentf is formed integral with or secured to the detent f at right angles with relation thereto, said detent f having a straight engaging face, as f, and which when the detents are given a quarter turn on their pivots, may engage with and look upon the block f. A finger piece f is also secured to the detents by which they may be moved, said finger piece projecting oppositely to the detent f and serving as an actuator for the lock f With the parts shown as in Fig. 2, the block f is in engagement with the detent f so that the door is simply latched and may be easily pulled open to receive packages. Itis the intention to arrange the latch and look so that they may be operated at will by a carrier, or from the exterior of the box.

If a newspaper or other valueless package is inserted in the box,the door will be closed, and simply latched; butif the package is supposed to be valuable, the carrier when closing the door will depress the actuator or finger piece f so as to throw up the detent f that it may engage with the weighted block and thereby lock the door.

The block f has an extension j" which passes through the front plate of the package box, entering the letter box, and by depressing this extension piece, the block f will be raised and hence disengaged from the detent f so that the locked door a may be opened.

It will be understood that when a carrier deposits a valuable package, and locks the doorin the manner described, he is prevented from again opening the door until it has been unlocked by the owner, and in order that the owner may remove the package, he must with his key, first unlock the letter box, and then depress the extension piece f and thereafter open the side door a of the package box. The detent f 5 arranged at right angles with relation to the detent 1", serves as a Weight to act on the said detentf to keep it in its normal position when released, so that when the owner lifts the block f and releases the detent f, the latter falls by gravity, and the detent f resumes its normal position, in order that the door may be latched when closed after it has been opened. A guard g is attached to the door a which incloses the latch and look, so that it cannot easily be picked. An arm cl is formed integral with or secured to the arm d arranged on the pivot 01, or it may be made as a separate arm on said pivot, said arm d entering the package box, and crossingit transversely from side to side, and when packages are deposited in the box, the arm (1 is depressed.

A bell crank lever his pivoted at h within the package box at the lower end, one arm of said bell crank lever having on it an extension 7?, which passes down through a hole in the bottom of the box, and the other arm is arranged beside the arm (1 so that when said arm (1 is depressed, it will cross the path of movement of the bell crank lever. The object of this is to enable the owner to determine at any time whether or not there is any mail matter in either box, and by pressing upwardly the extension 71 the bell crank lever is turned on its pivot, and if it is obstructed in its movement, it will be apparent that the arm d is depressed, and that there is mail matter in one or the other box; but if said bell crank lever is unobstructed in its movement, it will be" apparent that the arm 61 is in its normal position, and that the boxes are empty. Hence this bell crank lever I denominate the determining device. In order that this determination may be made from a distant point, I have arranged within the package box, a bell crank arm 11 pivoted at 'i, which is connected with the bell crank lever h by a link or other suitable connection '5 and a cord or chain may be connected at 11 to the bell crank lever 11 which may be carried to any point desired.

It is obvious that instead of thebell crank lever v), and the particular form of link or connection i herein shown any other suitable determining device may be devised for determining the position of the indicator, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, and furthermore I desire it to be understood that my invention broadly includes any means in connection with the box which may be operated mechanically from a distant point, for determining whether or not there is mail matter in either box. A spring t' incloses the pivot of the bell crank lever 7t, and acts to keep said lever in its normal position, and also to keep said lever firmly bottomed against its seat.

When a carrier delivers mail, it he so desires he may deposit both letters and packages in the package box and lock it, and if it should happen that on his next delivery the box had not been emptied, the letter box can then be utilized; or he may use them separately as designed. The object of this is that the package box as shown, has no exposed opening whatever, and hence cannot be picked, and mail matter deposited therein is secure, while the letter box has an opening, which might tempt dishonest and evil disposed persons. It is also desirable to use the box as a collection box as well as a delivery box, and in order to fulfill the requirements for such a box, I have provided the front plate a of the package box with a transverse slot or opening a, and back of said opening a plate mis pivoted at m, normally closing the opening, and an indicator or plate m is connected to the plate on which passes up through the top a of the package box, and is provided outside the box with a suitable hand piece m by which it may be raised.

A pawl m is pivoted to the plate m, at hi passing through the opening a and upon the IIO outside of the front plate a of the package box, and normally engages with a portion of the lock 6. The owner having letters which he desires, to have collected, opens the letter box thereby releasing the pawl m He then raises the indicator m by hand, and exposes the opening a, and is then enabled to drop the letters through said slot a into the package box. Thus it will be obvious that-in order to drop the letters into the box for collection, the indicator m must be raised, and furthermore, in order to raise the indicator the letter box must be unlocked and opened.

YVhen the letters are deposited in the package box by the owner for collection, it is of course essential that said box should belocked, and hence I have provided a detent herein shown as a lock or spring catch n on the door a which must be released by a key introduced through a key hole in the door a, such key being carried by the collector, and the plate m is provided with an extension m which as said plate is raised 'to expose the opening of, passes by the beveled end of the bolt or catch of said lock n, as shown in Fig. 3, to thereby rest on the top side ofsaid bolt or catch and when in this position it is also directly beneath the extension f of the block f. With the plate on in this position it will be seen that the indicator is positively held in elevated position; also that the block f cannot be raised to release the latch or look on the door a; and also that the door a will be locked; and in order for the collector to remove matter deposited in thebox, he must release the lock n by his key or detachable actuator, thereby permitting the plate m to fall by gravity into its normal position, and this having been done, he can open the door a The latch or look f f blockf, plate m, and lock or catch it, hence constitute a lock mechanism for the package box door. The plate m, which is permanently connected with the box, and by means of which movement of said latch mechanism is prevented to thereby lock the door, I herein term a dogging device.

The opening or slot 01, is arranged as near the top of the collection box as possible, and yet have it concealed in order to be able to utilize the entire box, and hence the letter box is made with an upper movable compartment.

On the interior of the package box, at its upper end I have cast or secured a slotted ear 50, and in the front side of said box near the lower end I have formed holes as 51, 52, which it will be observed are some distance above the lower end of the letter-box.

When securing the combined apparatus to a wall, a headed screw or stud is first screwed or driven into the wall, and the package box is then hung on this screw by its slotted ear 50, and long screws or pins are then passed through the holes 51, 52, and screwed or driven into the wall. The letter box is thereafter placed in position. By this means of securing the apparatus to a wall it will beseen that it cannot be readily removed, because the screws which hold it are concealed. It is principally for this reason that the package box and letterbox are made as separate shells; yet there is a minor reason for making them separate which is to enable one to be placed in the other for shipping purpose, to save space. I do-not however consider that either of these features is of great importance, and hence may be omitted, thereby obviating the necessity of making the said boxes as separate shells. It will therefore be understood that by omitting the parts m, m m and the lock it, the apparatus may be utilized as a delivery box, which contains all the necessary or desirable features, and that a delivery box so made may be readily changed to a combined delivery collection by the addition of these few parts; also I desire it to be understood that Ido notlimit myself to the particular construction of parts herein shown, as they may be changed and yet accomplish substantially the same results; nor do I desire to limit my invention to include all the features herein shown in combination, as many of them are applicable to other forms and constructions of mail boxes.

I claim- 1. In a mail-box, a lower shell-like compartment comprising a front wall 1), side walls I), 1), bottom b and a rear partition 6 with an opening above it, combined with an upper compartment pivoted to the lower compartment and comprisinga front walla, side walls 0', c, and atop 0 substantially as described.

2. In a mail box, alower shell-like compartment comprising a front wall I), side walls b', 1), bottom b and a rear partition 12 with an opening above it, combined with an upper compartment pivoted to the lower compartment and comprising afront wall 0, side walls 0', c, and a top o and independent fingers d pivoted at the rear of said partition 17 and crossing the entrance to the box, substantially as described.

3. In a mail box, alower shell-like compartment comprising a front wall b, side walls I), b, bottom b and a rear partition 12 with an opening above it, combined with an upper compartment pivoted to the lower compartment and comprising a front wall 0, side walls 0', c, and a top 0 and means for closing the entrance to said lower compartment and for assisting in introducing the mail matter to the compartment, substantially as described.

4. In a mail box, a mail holding compartment having an opening at the rear, and a throat or passage-way leading to said opening, combined with an arm crossing the said opening and also extending transversely across the mail holding compartment, to be moved into and held in its abnormal position by the mail matter, and a determining device by means of which the position of said arm is determined substantially as and for the purposes set forth. p

5. In a mail box, a mail holding compartment having an opening at the rear, and a throat or passage-Way leading to said opening, combined with an arm crossing the said opening and also extending transversely across the mail holding compartment, and the ribs b, which receive between them the end of the arm, against which the mail matter rests while holding the arm in its abnormal position, and a determining device by means of which the position of said arm is determined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a mail box, a mail holding compartment having an opening at the rear, and a throat or passage-way leading to said opening, combined with an arm crossing the said opening and also extending transversely across the mail holding compartment, and inclined ribs 1) on the wall of the box opposite said opening, against which the mail matter rests while holding the arm in its abnormal position, and a determining device by means of which the position of said arm is determined substantially as described.

7. A mail box having an entrance slot or passage, and also having a recess on one side, combined with an indicating arm arranged transversely across the box and normally entering said recess to thereby give the arm a long range of motion, and a determining deyice by means of which the position of said arm is determined, substantially as described.

8. A mail boxhaving an entrance slot or passage, combined with an indicating device moved by the mail matter inserted in the box, and held in abnormal position by said mail matter, and a determining device manually operated from the outside of the box engaging and determining the position of said indicating device when in abnormal position, substantially as described. 1

9. A mail box, having an entrance slot or passage, combined with an indicating device within the box, for determining whether or not there is mail matterin the box, and a determining device manually operated from the outside of the box for engaging and determining the position of said indicating device when in abnormal position, substantially as described.

10. A letter-box having two compartments adapted to receive mail for delivery, and normally accessible to the box holder, and a manually operable signal, movement of the said signal into indicating position locking one of said. compartments for collection purposes and at the same time rendering the compartment so locked inaccessible to the box-holder, substantially as described.

11. A package box having a door, combined with a letter box also having a door, arms (1 d within and extended across said letter and package boxes respectively and a determin said arms, when the latter are in abnormal position determines the position thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. A package-box having a door, andaletter-box in juxtaposition therewith also having a door, and an indicator which obstructs the path of movement of the mail matter inserted in either box, to be moved and held in its abnormal position by said mail matter, and a determining device operated manually from a distant point, to engage the indicator when in abnormal position and thereby determine the position of said indicator, substantially as described.

13. A mail box having an entrance slot or passage, combined with an indicating device to determine whether or not mail matter has been deposited in the box, and a determining device at the box to engage the indicating device when in abnormal position and thereby determine the position of said indicating device, and connections to operate said determining device mechanically from a distant point, substantially as described.

14. A package-box having a door, and a latch, and a lock therefor operable from the exterior of the box to latch or look the door as desired, and a letter-box adjacent to said package-box, and havinga door, and means operable by the opening of the letter-box door to release the lock of the package-box, substantially as described.

15. A package-box having a door and alock therefor adapted to be set from the exterior of the box to automatically lock the door by closure thereof, and a letter-box connected to said package-box, and also having a door, and means operable by the opening of the letterbox also to release the lock of the package box, substantially as described.

16. A package box having a door, and an entrance slot or passage, combined with a latch mechanism for said door and a dogging device therefor permanently connected with the box, by means of which said mechanism is held immovable to lock the door, said dogging device being also actuated from the exterior of the box by means of a suitable key by which it is operated to set free the latch mechanism to thereby unlock the door, substantially as described.

17. A package box having an entrance slot or passage, and a door,co1nbined witha latch mechanism for said door normally operable from the exterior of the box, a dogging device to cooperate with and prevent move ment of said latch mechanism, and a detent for the dogging device actuated from the exterior of the box to release the dogging device and thereby set free the latch mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

18. A package box having a door, and an entrance slot or passage, combined with a lock mechanism for said door provided with adogging device permanently connected with the box, and adetent by means of which said mechanism is controlled to lock both the doorand means of a suitable key by which said detent is withdrawn from operative position to release the lock mechanism and thereby unlock the door, substantially as described.

19. A package box having a door, and an entrance slot or passage, combined with a lock mechanism for said door, comprising a latch a dogging device therefor, and a spring lock detent for said dogging device, the said device being permanently connected with the box, said spring lock detent being accessible from the exterior of the box, and withdrawn by means of a suitable key, substantially as described.

20. A package box having a door, and an entrance slot or passage, combined with lock mechanism for said door, a dogging device for said lock mechanism forming a co-operative part thereof, and permanently connected with the box, by means of which the lock mechanismis set and the door held locked, and a detachable releasing device for said lock mechanism, by means of which the door is unlocked, substantially as described.

21. A package box having a door, and an entrance slot or passage, combined with a latch on said door, a pivoted block which it engages, a dogging device permanently connected with the box which co-operates with and holds said block in fixed position, a lock or detent for said dogging device and a detachable actuator for the said lock or detent by means of which the said device and block are released, substantially as described.

22. A package box having a door, and a letter-box also having a door, and a communicating slot or passage between said boxes, combined with a collection indicator normally obstructing the said passage, substantially as described.

23. A package box having a door, and a letter-box also having a door, and a commu nicating slot or passage between them, combined with a collection indicator, normally obstructing said passage, and a lock for said indicator, to retain it in abnormal indicating position, and to maintain said passage open, substantially as described.

24. A package box having a door, provided with a locking latch and a letter-box also having a door, and a communicating slot or passage between them, combined with a collection indicator, operable from within the letter-box, a lock for said indicator to retain it in indicating position, said indicator in its abnormal position acting upon the locking latch to lock the package box door, and means for releasing said indicator lock exteriorly, substantially as described.

25. A mail box having a door, and an entrance slot or passage, combined with a collection indicator partially within said box and normally obstructing said passage, and means to retain the indicator in indicating position,

the indicator in its abnormal or indicating position, and means operated from the exterior of the package box for withdrawing said retaining device to thereby release the indicator, substantially as described.

27. A mail box having an entrance slot or passage, combined with a collection indicator normally obstructing-said passage, a lock for said indicator to maintain it in indicating position and the passage open, and means for releasing said look from the outside of the box, substantially as described.

28. A mail box, having a door, and an entrance slot, combined with a visual indicator normally obstructing said entrance slot and manually movable into view from the exterior of the box, and also to uncover the slot previous to the insertion of mail matter, and a lock for said indicator "in the path of movement of and to automatically lock the same in abnormal indicating position, the slot being maintained opened,substantiallyas described.

29. A mail box having a door, combined with a normally operative latch, and a lock for said door-operable independently from the exterior of the box, and a co-operating part of said latch inaccessible from the exterior of the box for releasing said lock, substantially as described.

30. A mail box having a door, combined with a latch externally operable and a lock for said door, connections between said latch and lock whereby the former is maintained inoperative externally, and means for restoring the latch in operative position upon releasing the lock, substantially as described.

31. A mail box having a door, a latch, and a lock therefor, combined with a collection indicator and a lock for holding it in abnormal indicating position, said indicator abutting when set, against the latch to retain it inoperative and lock the door, substantially as described.

32. A letter-box having two compartments adapted to receive mail for delivery and normally accessible to the box holder, one of said compartments being also adapted for collection of mail, a door and a lock for each compartment, and a manually operated collection indicator to indicate, when in abnormal position, the presence of mail to be collected, movement of said indicator into such position acting upon the lock of the collection compartment to render the latter inaccessible to the box-holder, substantially as described.

33. A letter-box having two compartments adapted to receive mail for delivery and normally accessible to the box holder, one of said compartments being also adapted for collection of mail, a door and lock therefor, and

an entrance slot or passage, combined with a manually operated indicator to indicate, when in abnormal position, the presence of mail to be collected, movement thereof into such position rendering the collection compartment inaccessible to the box holder, a retaining device to hold said indicator in abnormal position, and means independent of the box holder to release said retaining device and unlock the compartment, substantially as described.

34. A letter-box having two compartments adapted to receive mail for delivery and normally accessible to the box holder, a door and a lock for each compartment, one of said compartments being also adapted for collection WILLIAM O. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, EMMA J. BENNETT. 

